Former USC LB coach Ken Norton hired as Raiders defensive coordinator

Former USC linebackers coach Ken Norton, who has been a member of Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks staff for five seasons, has been hired as defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, the team announced.

Norton coached at USC under Carroll from 2004-09 and then was hired by Carroll in Seattle.

Seahawks linebacker Mike Morgan, who played at USC from 2006-10, tweeted: “I have been coached by Ken Norton since i was 17. He has not only been a coach but family. This is tough, but he deserves this opportunity!”

Raiders Coach Jack Del Rio, an All-American linebacker at USC, played with Norton with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 1991.

Norton is the second former USC linebackers coach to become an NFL defensive coordinator this offseason.

Joe Barry, USC’s linebackers coach in 2010 and 2011 before joining the San Diego Chargers staff, was hired as defensive coordinator by the Washington Redskins in January.